Richard Spices

To:
John Couch
From:
Richard D.K. Johnson
aka Rich Johnson
aka Dick Johnson
aka Richard Baird
Date:
Sunday, 21 January 2007
My Birthday

(Cosmic Note: Sunday=Sunday,
Moonday=Monday, Marsday=Tuesday,
Mercuryday=Wednesday, Jupiterday=Thursday,
Venusday=Friday, Saturnday=Saturday)

Thank you again for fixing the wonderful soup stock
for my birthday dinner.

Here is a list of spices and herbs that I like to use for further
reference:

The spices and herbs I use the most and put in just about
everything are:

Ginger, Sage, Cardamom, and Garlic.

Other spices and herbs I use regularly are:

Chinese Five Spice,
Rosemary, Thyme, Tarragon, Mint,
Basil and Oregano (for spaghetti sauce),
Lemon Grass, and Cumin.

I will even use Curry occasionally in
small amounts so that it is not too hot.

I never use Chili as it is too hot for me.

I use Cinnamon and Nutmeg for fruit dishes
such as rhubarb or applesauce and for making pies.

I use a lot of the above spices in the bean soups
I like to make, such as split pea soup, black bean soup, and
pinto/pink bean soup, as well as in many other foods,
especially sauces for meat such as brown sauce and
coconut sauce (for Asian foods)

For coconut sauce I use Ginger, Cardamom, Garlic, Mint, Lemon Grass,
and a pinch of Curry. Coconut sauce is made by taking a can of coconut milk,
mixing cornstarch with it by mixing the cornstarch with water and
pouring into the sauce, and heating it until it turns into a thickened sauce.
It is especially good over rice, lamb, and vegetables but also good for
Oriental pork, beef, or chicken dishes with vegetables and rice.

I am looking forward to sampling more of your wonderful
dishes.

Your friend always,
Richard

P.S. I am boiling your and Russ' noodle soup
now to soften the noodles and I will be having it
with some crackers, butter, and cheese in about
fifteen minutes as a prelude to another leg of lamb
dinner from last nights leftovers. (I fell asleep early
so I am having my dinner late.)